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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27175781">That shall be maintained</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanayame/pseuds/Hanayame'>Hanayame</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Body Swap, Canon Universe, I tried not to make it romantic Shumika so that everyone can enjoy it, M/M, and put their bond in the spotlight, natsume uses alchemy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:13:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,177</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27175781</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanayame/pseuds/Hanayame</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Shu and Mika visit Natsume in his laboratory and an accident happens, so they swap bodies and need to try various things to go  back to their own. The prompt I used was maintenance</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Itsuki Shuu/Kagehira Mika</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Valktober 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>That shall be maintained</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>„Are ya sure it’s not dangerous? What ’f it fires m’ brain?” Asked Mika as he stood in one of the alchemist circles in Natsume’s secret laboratory. It was drawn with white to the dark floor so it was quite spectacular.</p><p>„It shouldn’t be dangerOUS! It’ll be just fiNE. I mean it’s just a prototype, but never mind IT. It shouldn't KILL YOU. It’s a body swapping circLE.” Explained Natsume with as few details, as it was possible, or at least the Valkyrie boys felt it that way. </p><p> „What? Body swapping circle? This is foolish. Come Kagehira, we are going.” Shu took a step towards Mika. </p><p>„Nii-sAN!” Natsume tried to stop him but unfortunately as he reached out to grab on his clothes, hands, anything he only grasped some thin air. </p><p>By the time Shu could have reacted he already stood in the circle that radiated some ominous light, signaling that it activated. And when the light stopped…</p><p>Nothing happened.</p><p>Seemingly.</p><p>„Mnnmmh Oshi-san I can see ya, so it means I’m in m’ body, right?”</p><p>„I suppose so, Kagehira.”</p><p>Natsume laughed out loudly.</p><p>„Then my experiment was a faiLURE. Or maybe it has delayed effECT. In case, come back tomorrow, or call me if something happENS. Well, THEN…”  he suspiciously sent the Valkyrie boys out, even shoving them towards the door. When they stepped out, they could hear how the red haired Switch member locked it immediately.</p><p>„Nhhnm…what was that?” wondered Mika.</p><p>„Only if I knew. Let’s go back, we don’t have any more precious time to waste.”</p><p>Thus, they went home, hoping that nothing will happen to them in the meantime. Finally the night came, so they went to sleep. </p><p> </p><p>********************************************************************************</p><p> </p><p>As always, the end of the day brought a new beginning. Morning came, and Shu woke up.</p><p>He immediately knew something was wrong, so his first thing to do was to look around. </p><p>He wasn’t in his room.</p><p>But in Mika’s. </p><p>He had no recollection of how he got there. </p><p>In frustration he reached to his head then noticed.</p><p>His hair was too long. If he moved it, he could see the color of his bangs, which was unusually dark.</p><p>It wasn’t his hair.</p><p>He started to panic, so he stood up immediately. It felt strange as if he shrank and his body felt light, as if he lost weight overnight. A noticeable amount… or…</p><p>He finally reached the mirror. </p><p>What reflected in it, wasn’t his face. What he saw was the lovely mismatched eyes of his unit mate, his doll-like face, and his maybe-all-too-slender body. </p><p>He screamed.</p><p>It was Mika’s voice that came out of his throat. </p><p> </p><p>********************************************************************************</p><p> </p><p>Mika slowly opened his eyes. His body felt strange, but there was one thing that he cared about more, than feeling a little bit out of order.</p><p>„Mnnmm… Did I just hear m’ screami… wait why ’m I talkin’ in Oshi-san’s voice?” He cleared his throat then started to imitate Shu.”Kagehira. Don’t give out strange noises with my voi…. waaahhh” he covered his face in embarrassment.” I can’t… It’s just so funny today I sound like Oshi-san. He’d scold me for sure. Nhmm I forgot, I gotta check the what that noise was.”</p><p>He stood up from the bed just to find out, he had no idea how he got there and why he was in Shu’s room. Moreover, his body still felt strange as if it wasn’t his own. He felt taller, and heavier, but he didn’t have time to care about it. Maybe they exchanged voices with Shu, and Shu was in trouble, that’s why he screamed. He needed to save his unit mate. He ran towards the possible source of the noise, his room. Or so he felt like it was his room, as if an unknown power led him there. He opened the door with a great impact.</p><p>Then he saw himself.</p><p>Staring at the mirror with an anxious expression.</p><p>„Me? Or is it ya Oshi-san?” </p><p>Shu in Mika’s body looked at Mika, who was then… he touched the top of his head. He ran through the soft cotton-candy-like hair the long fingers he controlled, then he realised it but before he could say anything, Shu spoke up.” </p><p>„Kagehira, so you are in my body.” He crossed his hands before himself… or so Mika’s body as a protective reflex.</p><p>Mika flashed a wide smile at him. </p><p>„Oshi-san, Nakkun’s circle worked!” He was excited to realise. It made Shu look at him with a displeased expression.</p><p>“Stop doing such foolish expressions with MY body! I look like a fool! Like one of those vulgar masses! Mon Dieu! I can by no means become like that.” He powerlessly fell into his knees and covered his face in his hands desperately. “I can’t believe that boy could make that ominous circle work.”</p><p>Mika went there to calm him down, but he couldn’t leave out flashing a grin to the mirror. The reflection of Shu’s face had a wide smile and glittering eyes, an expression that he would never make. His Oshi-san usually looked much more elegant and reserved. A part of him wanted to see Shu smile happily without holding back, but he knew it would be hard for the older male so he didn’t force it. </p><p>It was also a strange feeling for him to hug his own body. It seemed so small, and fraile, and now his Oshi-an was in that body. He felt the need to protect Shu. As he wrapped his arms around Shu he could feel the older male’s warmth radiating from his body. </p><p>“Everything will be just fine Oshi-san. We're gonna make it fine. Let’s go ta Nakkun, who will make it right, ‘kay?”</p><p>“You are right. It’s not time to despair. Thank you.”</p><p>“Yer very welcome” he laughed, as he helped Shu up from the floor, then he looked down at him. “Nhhmm so Oshi-san always looks at me like this. Feels strange.” He chuckled.</p><p>“Stop giving those incomprehensible noises out at least when you are in MY body.” </p><p>“Okay~ okay~ “ he said but in truth he had no intention of stopping, he liked hearing these noises in Shu’s voice too much to stop. He couldn’t not find it entertaining.</p><p> </p><p>********************************************************************************</p><p> </p><p>A bit later they arrived at Natsume's laboratory. No matter how much then knocked at the door, Natsume didn’t want to open it, but they were persistent so in the end the door opened and the red haired male appeared behind it.</p><p>„What’s wrONG? Why are you banging in my dOOR like THIS?” he asked, while trying to comprehend the situation, by looking at both of them</p><p>Their usual gestures were worn by the other person apparently, as if they…</p><p>„My swapping cirCLE worked tHEN.” He was more self-pleased than surprised as he stated the obvious. „Come IN.” He invited the Valkyrie members in for the incoming talk. Possible scolding. But it couldn’t have been that bad coming from Mika’s body, Shu clearly couldn’t assert as much dominance that way, right? RIGHT? He gulped, bracing himself to the lecture.</p><p>„You told us to come if something happens. Here we are. So, how can you cancel the effect?”</p><p>Natsume wasn’t sure it would REALLY work, but in case, he read after it, to have the answer ready.</p><p>„Nii-san, Mika-kun, it’s surprisingly easy to cancel the effect. You two just need to join your hearts.”</p><p>„Joinin’ our hearts? What’s that? Do ya want to cut us open?” Mika set a questioning look at him, especially, because he could visibly barely contain his laugh. </p><p>„Sorry, it’s just so funny to hEAR Shu nii-san speak like that, I need to laUGH. It doesn’t mean ANYTHING drastic like that, you two only need to FEEL the same way at the same TIME It can’t be that HARD. Just do something what you usually DO.” He advised after seeing their puzzled expression.</p><p>„Somethin’ we usually do… Oshi-san, let’s sing!” Mika immediately had an idea and he decided to tell it. But what an idea! Not bad at all. Shu couldn’t help it, he needed to agree.</p><p>„Fine, let’s do it.”</p><p>Without a further ado, Mika took a singing position. His expression turned serious. If one looked at that moment, no one would have noticed, it was him who controlled Shu’s body at that moment. His notes were clear even without background music, and strong. He sang his parts from Eternal Weaving, then tried to dance too. </p><p>Shu was a bit worried, that his less-flexible body can do it, but Mika nimbly succeeded all those turns and body twists, while being elegant and graceful.It was an absurd feeling. He was looking at HIS own body doing that dance yet he knew it was Mika inside taking those ever-so-lovely moves he took, which the older male looked at so many times. It was like he fell in love a bit. Not only with Mika, but he felt like he came to like his constitution a bit more. His body wasn’t frail or weak, it was rather well-built with firm, well-toned muscles. Nothing elegant sounding, or graceful, not even close to being like a doll, yet Mika made wonders to it. </p><p>Now he was insecure if he could do his own part with Mika’s body perfectly, without failing on the younger boy and his abilities, but he knew he had no time to hesitate. He joined in to the singing with Mika’s mesmerizing voice, squeezing the best out of it, to mingle with his voice that was controlled by Mika. It was just like the original version, if not better. They knew every little resonance of their partner, so they could perfectly harmonize, and take the song to it’s climax, then end it. </p><p>Natsume gave them an applause, as he looked at them not even panting after such a performance. They must have had an insane amount of stamina both. It was natural. All Valkyrie songs were highly technical and meticulously constructed, even the slightest mistake could destroy them utterly, like how it happened once in the past. This wasn’t the case now. The red haired male could clearly feel their harmony and synergy, so he was sure, they connected their feelings and switched back but to his surprise, when Shu-or the one who was supposedly in Shu’s body- spoke up…</p><p>„Oshi-san yer body is kinda hard to control but it was tons of fun!” He was enthusiastic, and his eyes radiated a childish happiness, one that couldn’t have been Shu’s expression, and the way of talking was different too. Their state was unchanged. </p><p>„Kagehira, don’t you dare do that dance again! Mon dieu, I’m not a youngster anymore. Nevertheless, you did a great job. I can’t not praise you for it.”</p><p>„Nnnhhmm Thank ya kindly! Ya too, Oshi-san, I didn’t know, m’ voice can sound like that.”</p><p>„Still. We didn’t switch back. What’s the meaning of it, boy.” He turned to Natsume, to question him.</p><p>„I… mayBE it has a delayed effECT. You will be bACK in your own body in a day, I’m sURE. Well, if not in 24 HOURS, you might be STUCK in the body of your partner FOREVER. In that case feAR NOT. You both tacked the singING and dancing awesOMELY. Noone would NOTICE that you swapped PLACES.”</p><p>„On stage maybe, but in everyday life, definitely. Non! I can’t let that happen. Kagehira, we are going home and trying to join our hearts, but on the way we will be stopping for some croissants.”</p><p> </p><p>********************************************************************************</p><p> </p><p>After a while, and some minor detours besides buying croissants they were finally at home, and tired.</p><p>„I feel so fatigued. Kagehira, you need to eat more, your body is weak.”</p><p>„Mnnmm maybe it’s ‘coz we haven’t done maintenance fer a while'' He wondered, which gave Shu an idea.</p><p>„Maintenance. Why did it not occur to me sooner? I tagged you along to shopping, for nothing now. Kagehira, I’m sure this will be the solution to our problem. We will do maintenance on your body.”</p><p>„B-but ya can’t do it ya’self, can ya?”</p><p>„Obviously not, you fool. You will be the one doing the maintenance, and I’ll guide you. Fear not, I have done it countless times, with my instructions you will be able to successfully do it.”</p><p>They immediately got prepared for it. Though by got prepared I only mean Shu taking off the shoes and the unnecessary layer of clothes such as everything but the underwear and the shirt on Mika’s body. He sat down on the antique looking dark brown wooden chair they decided to use, then asked Mika to stand behind him.</p><p>„First, you need to massage my…your shoulders.” </p><p>Mika raised his hands up, and put them on the shoulders of the boy he was in, and started to rub his own shoulders in a strange position.</p><p>„Kagehira. What are you doing? Non! Don’t tell me you are such a fool! MY shoulders. The ones in your body.”</p><p>„Wahhh I’m so sorry Oshi-san, ya know I’m kinda stupid dropped m’ brain so didn’t know you meant it.” after apologizing he stood behind Shu, put his hands to the shoulders of the body the older male was in, then started massaging it.</p><p>„Mm…” Shu gave out a noise without being able to hold it back, he liked Mika’s touch so much. It wasn’t too hard but it wasn’t too light either. It eased the stiffness in the shoulders just perfectly. „Now proceed to the arms, then legs, feet, then the back.”</p><p>Mika followed the instructions and did the tasks in order. It was a strange feeling to take care of his own body and make his own muscles relax, while Shu, the one in control of the body sometimes pulled the limbs away, before he gave out some unsightly noise again. Mika found Shu cute. Not because he was in the younger male’s body. Not at all, if something, he found his own shoulders to be too bony, now he understood why people told him to eat more, to eat properly, why they worried about his health. </p><p>Back to Shu, he always had a vulnerable side that he only showed to Mika, and he couldn’t help but think, it’s adorable. He wanted to protect his Oshi-san as his Oshi-san protected him, so that they can stand as equals next to each other. Maybe this is why he did his best to successfully conduct their usual ritual in these unusual circumstances. </p><p>By the time he finished, he could feel some overwhelming tenseness in the shoulders. It was tense even before, but putting a pressure on it made it worse. If he thought about how Shu would feel if he returned back to this body, it saddened him. He couldn’t leave it like that, so he spoke up. </p><p>„Oshi-san, what ’f we did maintenance on yer body too? It’s just too stiff ’n I can’t move.”</p><p>Shu only sighed as an answer, then looked at Mika with a piercing gaze. For a moment he got scared from his own gaze. It was a never-in-a-lifetime-should-happen experience. Fortunately his gaze mildened. </p><p>„Fine, it can’t be helped.” </p><p>He did the usual moves on his own body, that made him feel strange and couldn’t help but notice how weak Mika actually is in comparison to him. Nevertheless, he would have never admitted but he enjoyed the time he spent with Mika while doing this ridiculous maintenance and he knew Mika wasn’t against it either. Moreover, their emotions were probably connected again, yet they didn’t swap back. </p><p>After Shu finished, Mika looked at him with a bright smile. He hated that expression on his face, but it suited Mika too much so he couldn’t complain. </p><p>„One more thing Oshi-san, if ya don’t mind!” He stood up and closed the gap between them, just to sweep away the bangs from the forehead of the body Shu was in, use the height difference to his advantage and give a kiss on it. </p><p>Shu embarrassedly backed, then he looked at Mika. Both of them were embarrassed.</p><p>This was the point when darkness enveloped the whole world.</p><p> </p><p>********************************************************************************</p><p> </p><p>Shu woke up panting. He knew he had a long dream, a strange and particularly vivid yet -unlike what he was used to- pleasant one and wasn’t sure if it was a dream until he touched the hair on the top of his head. It seemed to be short and fluffy. Good enough, like his own. It helped him gather the courage to get up and look in the mirror. He closed his eyes as he tried to find his way to it. When he finally touched the desired object, he slowly opened his eyes. He saw his all-so-familiar reflection. He let out a sigh.</p><p>„So it all was just a dream. It seemed so real.” He pitied a bit- well not that he didn’t stay in Mika’s body- that it wasn’t real, but it couldn’t be helped.</p><p>He went to wake Mika up, but the younger boy was already wide awake.</p><p>„Nhhnmm Oshi-san ya’r here already? Ya won’t believe me! I had a strange dream. Ya were in m’ body and I was in yer then we did maintenance, it succeeded but we didn’t go back ta our original bodies, the world ended.” Shu couldn’t believe his ears. Mika was telling the story of his entire dream. He had no idea how it  happened but they shared a dream. </p><p>„It sounds foolish, Kagehira. But… it must have been a good dream, right?” he turned away because he could feel the heat rising inside his cheeks as the happenings of that dream, especially the kiss on his forehead came back. </p><p>He totally got lost in thoughts, so much he didn’t even know when Mika got that close to him, he only noticed the mismatched-eyed boy, when he was standing tiptoes and his face was getting closer and closer. He got scared for a moment, but he didn’t have time to move and didn’t want to hurt Mika either so he just stood there, with closed eyes. He felt something warm in his forehead. Just as in his dream Mika kissed it. He immediately blushed, and when opened his eyes to lecture Mika, he could see, the younger boy was flustered too. He felt the need to draw Mika closer and cuddle him, so he did. Just like he did to Nazuna in the old times. Their bond with Mika was even stronger, he could feel it through skinship. It was a bond that needed to be maintained forever and ever through various methods.</p><p>Later he called Natsume to make sure. It turned out, it wasn’t a body swapping circle but he <em>MIGHT</em> had used some kind of hypnosis and somehow because of the strong bond they shared they had the same dream.</p><p>Ever since then, they don’t only do the maintenance on Mika, but on Shu too, to ease the stiffness on his shoulders. Or… to spend time together.</p><p>Which one is the truth?</p><p>God only knows.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading it!<br/>I hope you enjoyed it. It was tons of fun to write, especially Natsume, I never wrote him before, but for some reason I fould it funny, I hope I could do justice to him, and the story was followable.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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